I moved to Baton Rouge in 2016 with my husband, Nate, and our three cats. Being native to the Northeast part of the United States, we weren’t sure what to expect about life in the south. It wasn’t long before we fell in love with the charm of Louisiana. We have lived in Northern Virginia, Singapore, and Texas, but this is where we decided to put down roots and start our family. I am “Mama” to three sweet little boys, Holland (6), Atlas (4) and Miles (Born May ’25).

I graduated from a small private college in Upstate New York with a Fine Arts degree, specializing in Interior Design. The studio art classes I took during that time shaped my creativity and inspired me to continue making art through my corporate career. On a whim, I started pressing flowers when I first found out I was pregnant with Holland – thinking I would just make some nursery artwork. Now years later, I am still using pressed flowers as a focus of my art.

I grew up with two wonderful grandmothers, Betty and Kay.

My grandmother Betty was the person who introduced me to crafting and creating. She taught me how to sew and crochet. I always marveled her work and admired the hours she spent on her projects. I loved seeing her process and dedication. With her guidance, as a young child I created one of my most favorite things I’ve ever made – a small quilt for my dolls.

My grandmother Kay always had a garden blooming with beautiful flowers of every color. I spent hours exploring her in yard (and swooning over my late grandfather’s tulips) and climbing every tree with a limb. We were neighbors and I spent nearly every day after school at her house. She was an amazing cook and taught me most of the random domestic things I know – i.e how to clean a crystal chandelier. She also taught me many lessons about hard work.

My Friend Kelly is a tribute to these two women, who instilled our shared belief that everything is better when it’s made with love.

Let’s create something together.